Chapter Seventeen: Mom, Does Dad Not Like Me?

Bai Yue’s worldview shattered into dust when she heard what Long Xingyu said to Haochen. He did not want to admit that Haochen was his son, yet he even came up with such a grand-sounding excuse. What a joke.

Bai Yue thought back to her previous life. Long Xingyu’s attitude toward Haochen had changed drastically only after the Divine Awakening, when Haochen’s constitution as the Son of Light was discovered. Before that, the cruelty of his training had been comparable to torture. Yet Bai Yue had been blinded by love at the time and had failed to see through Long Xingyu’s sinister intentions.

Back then, Long Xingyu had probably been praying for Haochen to give up and die in that cave crawling with insects, or perish while battling savage beasts. But Haochen had borne the weight of his father’s expectations and gritted his teeth, persevering bit by bit until he made it through.

But now, Bai Yue had no reason to let Haochen suffer such torment again. Her child was hers to protect. If Long Xingyu once more used training as an excuse to make Haochen fight wild beasts at such a young age, he could not blame her for calling in reinforcements and letting him experience the leisurely pleasure of lying helpless in bed for a year or two.

Far away, in the Demon Capital, inside the residence of the Berserk Demon God, Anan sneezed repeatedly. He rubbed his nose, feeling that something was rather strange.

Who was thinking about him?

The Bear Demon God Walifer spread open his massive paw, picked up a cup of wine, and drained it before boasting, “Anan, I am the demon god Your Majesty values most. You cannot compare with me.”

“His Majesty had me create a clone to care for Her Highness Yue and His Highness Yu and protect their safety. That clearly shows how much he trusts Old Bear here.”

Anan glanced at the bear’s smug expression, curled his lips, and said disdainfully, “When His Majesty went to South Suppression Pass to bring Her Highness Yue back to the palace, I was the one responsible for drawing Long Xingyu away.”

“His Majesty entrusted such an important task to me instead of you. That alone proves that, in his heart, I am more trustworthy than a brainless bear like you.”

Walifer was rendered speechless. Anan used that line to silence him every time. Five or six years had passed already—could he not come up with something new?

In truth, if Feng Xiu had heard the two of them arguing, he would merely have rubbed his nose. He had chosen Anan to intercept Long Xingyu because Anan was a battle maniac. He could beat Long Xingyu until his face was swollen and break more than a dozen of his bones without actually killing him. After all, finding another punching bag in the Temple Alliance who could take that kind of beating would not be easy.

As for choosing the Bear Demon God Walifer to protect Yue and Haochen, that was purely because Walifer was a bear. His clone was adorable and durable, making him perfect for playing with Haochen. Besides, Long Haochen had always clamored for a pet, and Walifer’s clone happened to meet that requirement.

…

Odin Town, Knight Temple branch.

Bazak was an instructor for knight attendants, responsible for selecting newly recruited knight attendants. When he heard that a genuine knight lord had been dispatched from above to initiate this year’s new recruits, he was delighted.

The previous day, however, Bazak had watched Lord Xingyu follow Long Haochen straight home for a family visit. He had therefore guessed that this great lord had not come all the way to a small place like Odin Town merely for Bai Yue, had he?

Today, when he heard Long Haochen personally admit that his mother and Lord Xingyu were old acquaintances, Bazak immediately understood.

When distributing the Foundation-Building Potion, Bazak used part of his own allotment and paid out of pocket to obtain an extra bottle for Long Haochen.

“Long Haochen, this is the Foundation-Building Potion. It strengthens the body and replenishes vital energy. It will be beneficial to both you and your mother.” Bazak was willing to cultivate another good connection.

After class, Long Haochen returned home carrying two bottles of Foundation-Building Potion. There, he ran into Long Xingyu, who had just returned from his own lessons.

The moment Long Xingyu saw that Haochen had more Foundation-Building Potion than his allotted share, his expression darkened. He demanded, “Long Haochen, how did you get two bottles of Foundation-Building Potion? Did you steal one? No matter how poor you are, you must never steal! Is this what your mother taught you?”

Long Haochen froze on the spot, utterly bewildered. He murmured, “Instructor Bazak gave them to me. He gave me two bottles. I didn’t steal anything.”

“Mother has never taught me to steal. Don’t slander her!”

“Mother is the best mother in the world. She told me that taking something without asking is stealing, and that children who steal will grow long noses.”

“My nose hasn’t grown longer, so I didn’t steal anything.”

Long Haochen spoke with absolute conviction, but in Long Xingyu’s eyes, his defense was nothing more than an excuse.

“Within the Temple Alliance, Foundation-Building Potion is medicinal fluid used to strengthen children with inadequate constitutions. At branch temples in small towns, it is distributed in limited quantities. If you did not steal it, how did you end up with two bottles?”

“Haochen, tell me the truth. Your father only doesn’t want you to develop the bad habit of stealing at such a young age.”

“You and your mother used to live in poverty, but a person may be poor without losing his ambition.” Long Xingyu appeared to be patiently instructing Long Haochen, but in reality, he was trying to lead the boy into admitting that he had stolen the Foundation-Building Potion.

At heart, Long Xingyu had never believed Haochen’s words. He was convinced that the boy had stolen it.

The moment Bai Yue returned, she saw Long Xingyu interrogating Haochen over a mere bottle of Foundation-Building Potion.

Naturally, she believed the child she had raised herself. Haochen was pure-hearted, kind, and upright; the Ten Virtues of a Knight were embodied in him to perfection. Yet he had been too good in his previous life, and that was why he had ultimately been betrayed by everyone and stabbed in the back by the Temple Alliance.

“Long Xingyu, what kind of father are you? How can you wrong your own child without even bothering to distinguish right from wrong?” Bai Yue rushed in front of Long Haochen, spread her arms protectively, and said firmly, “Don’t be afraid, Haochen. Mother believes you.”

“Yue’er, if you spoil a child like this, you’ll ruin him. He dares steal at such a young age—what will become of him when he grows up? He’ll turn into a petty thief! I am a Divine Seal Knight. How could I possibly have a child like that?”

Long Xingyu stubbornly insisted that Long Haochen had stolen the potion and even accused Bai Yue of spoiling him.

With red-rimmed eyes, Long Haochen looked at Bai Yue. “Mother, I didn’t steal anything, but Father refuses to believe me. Does Father dislike me? Is that why he won’t listen to my explanation?”

Bai Yue lovingly stroked her son’s hair, then took Long Haochen and Long Xingyu directly to the Odin Sub-Temple. Bazak had not yet left, so they could settle the matter there.

When Bazak learned that Long Xingyu had mistaken the extra Foundation-Building Potion he had given Long Haochen for stolen goods, he stared at Long Xingyu in astonishment.

“Lord Xingyu, how could you suspect Haochen of stealing? And stealing Foundation-Building Potion, no less?”

“These supplies are treasures of the Odin Sub-Temple, so I am responsible for guarding them. I personally count the stock every day. How could a child like Haochen have stolen anything? He has not even mastered the fundamentals of cultivation yet!”

All one could say was that Long Xingyu believed Long Haochen carried the blood of the Demon God Emperor Feng Xiu and was rotten to the core. In his view, a child from a poor family stealing things was only natural.

Seeing Long Xingyu’s ugly expression, Bazak thought for a moment before explaining, “Madam Bai Yue’s family is a well-known impoverished household in Odin Town. Bai Yue has taken medicine for years and has always been in poor health. I merely wanted to help them within the limits of my ability.”

“This Foundation-Building Potion came from my personal allotment. I gave it to Haochen so that he and his mother could drink it together.”